Release: SFROM Tool v1.3.0.0

Friday, October 15, 2021

It's long overdue... but I guess considering I thought the last version might be the true last version... maybe not. This release of SFROM Tool brings a major change I... thought I already released.

Change Log v1.3.0.0:

Revamped Game Codes/Preset IDs.

• GameCodes are now shown in their proper interger format, instead of hex.
• GameCodes can now be chosen from a drop down selection box, with clear labels for what game that GameCode is intended for.
• A new Legacy Mode option has been added, to display GameCodes in the old "Preset ID" format purely to help the adoption process.

Added new Key and Manual groups to the Advanced window, based off my continued understanding of the format.

• Key contains 2 unknown values that were previously even unknown if they were values or not.
• Manual contains Para and Max Speed.

The ROM Map control has been updated to list the available options in a clearer way, and now has a 3rd... but useless ExHiROM option.

Compatibility Mode 7 is now the default. This may cause issues with some older SNES/SFC Online versions.

Added support for Wii SNES VC ROMs.

• These ROMs are the ones that come with the .rom extension.
• With these, .pcm, .var, and .sda files are also checked for, and imported/exported.
• To import these roms, simply select the File>Open ROM menu option.
• To export in this format select File>Save as...>as Wii ROM/PCM/VAR.

Updated the internal database to include info/settings from discoveries made since the last release.

The major change is the the first one. I've hinted at it for the past year on the GameCode list. I'll put it this way to better differentiate between the change. You can consider the old hex value a Preset ID, and the new proper value a GameCode.

A little explanation. The term Preset ID was not chosen by me, Nintendo or NERD. It was something inherited from the extremely brief research from someone before me in the WiiU/3DS scene. What the heck does it even mean? They had the skill enough to observe that it was unique per game, and thus it was a pre-chosen, or pre-set value. But thats it.

If proper effort had been done, someone would have found the correct term LONG ago. But... what else is new? A lot of my work and findings should have been found long ago...

Anyway. I found the term Game Code from an official source, while also finding out how the value is meant to be displayed to a human viewer. IntValue - 4096 = GameCode. Or in hex, HexValue - 0x1000 = (int)GameCode. It's meant to be viewed as a interger, with the list starting at 1.

I've been making a lot of effort to figure out and properly label and display all of the other settings. So why not this one too? It may be rough to get used to at this point, but... its correct. So people will just have top get used to it.

I provided the Legacy mode ONLY for outdated instructions/advice to have a path to be used. The mode will be removed at some point.

Moving on. The Key and Manual stuff is bitter sweet in a way. I am just happy to have it figured out even this far... Even if the options dont really do anything, in any emu.

Adding ExHiROM to the ROM map mode list is odd, but... it is checked for in official emu code even if it does nothing. So...

I changed to Compatibility Mode 7 for default with switch sfroms because at this point, their are far more games using it. Any new games added, use it. So... it makes sense for custom games.

The Wii ROM thing is something I added at the last minute. I had disabled code for it in the tool for a while, but figured I should probably enable it now that the tool supports every other VC/CC platform to some extent. That disabled code was too far out of date though, so I just redid everything into the way the rest of the modern code is.

While you only select the .rom, it will check for and import .pcm/.var/.sda data, and the same goes for exporting. The other files just use the name of the game rom. The default name is the later half of the product id. This is how those files are named in the Wii VC files, just using the Wii product id format. The tool chooses the half product ID of whatever is set, regardless if its a RVL, WUP, KTR, or whatever product id.

Oh. Yea. I updated the internal database too. It includes up to the current latest switch games, and some additions/adjustments based off my finding since the last release. Like mario allstars, power instinct, super turrican 2, etc. But I didnt include the pure speculation based off logic stuff.

Anyway. Expect an update to the GameCode list to de-emphasize the old PresetID format.